Tech billionaire Elon Musk recently had a chat with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about artificial intelligence (AI). Musk thinks that AI will eventually make jobs unnecessary, which means people won’t need to work for money anymore. He also talked about his worries about robots that look like humans and can chase after people. They also talked about how London is a big center for the AI industry and how AI can change the way we learn. Musk and Sunak both agreed that we need rules and supervision to make sure AI is used safely and responsibly.

Musk has invested in AI companies and uses AI in his Tesla cars. He has talked before about how AI could be bad for society and humans. He thinks it’s important to think about the safety issues with robots that look like humans. Sunak wants to encourage investment in the UK’s tech industry and understands that people are worried about losing their jobs because of AI. They had their chat at an AI summit in London.

Musk also talked about the good things AI can do, like being a friend for people who have trouble making friends and being a patient teacher for young people. But he also warned that AI could take away all jobs, which raises questions about finding meaning in life when traditional jobs aren’t needed anymore.

The chat between Musk and Sunak didn’t lead to any new announcements about how AI will be used and controlled in the UK. Sunak did mention that AI could make the government’s website better. Even though some people were upset about the event, Musk and Sunak seemed comfortable talking to each other. Sunak praised Musk as a smart innovator and technologist. Both of them want to have a say in how AI develops in the future.

Original news source: Elon Musk tells Rishi Sunak AI will put an end to work (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Students pair up and take on the roles of a news reporter and Elon Musk. The reporter should ask questions about Musk’s views on AI, its impact on employment, and its benefits and dangers. Musk’s role is to answer these questions based on the information from the article. After a few minutes, they switch roles. This activity encourages speaking and listening practice.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements from the article, such as “AI will eventually make jobs unnecessary” and “AI can be a good friend for people who struggle to make friends.” Students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates whether they agree or disagree with each statement. They should also ask for reasons to support their classmates’ opinions. This will generate discussion and practice in expressing and justifying opinions.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Students work in small groups to discuss and predict how AI might affect society in various aspects (e.g., work, education, social interactions) in the next 20 years. They should relate their predictions to the points discussed by Musk and Sunak. Afterward, each group shares their predictions with the class. This activity encourages critical thinking and use of the future tense in English.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary from the article (e.g., artificial intelligence, supervision, innovate, summit) on slips of paper. Students take turns drawing a slip and then drawing the word on the board without speaking. Their team must guess the word in English. This game helps in reinforcing new vocabulary and encouraging teamwork.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group lists the potential benefits of AI as discussed by Musk, such as being a companion for the lonely and aiding education. The other group lists the potential dangers, like job loss and ethical concerns with human-like robots. Then, each group presents their list to the class, and a discussion follows. This activity encourages critical thinking and the use of comparative language structures.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What does Elon Musk believe AI will eventually make unnecessary, according to the article?
2. What concerns did Musk express about robots that resemble humans?
3. What is the significance of London in relation to the AI industry?
4. What did Musk and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agree on regarding the use of AI?
5. How has Elon Musk been involved with AI in his business ventures?
6. What are some positive applications of AI that Musk mentioned during the chat?
7. What potential issue did Musk raise about the future of jobs and finding meaning in life?
8. What was the outcome of the conversation between Musk and Sunak in terms of AI regulation?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Tech billionaire Elon Musk recently had a chat with Prime Minister Rishi (1)______ about (2)______ intelligence (AI). Musk thinks that AI will eventually make jobs (3)______, which means people won’t need to work for money anymore. He also talked about his worries about robots that look like humans and can chase after people. They also talked about how London is a big center for the AI industry and how AI can (4)______ the way we (5)______. Musk and Sunak both agreed that we need rules and supervision to make sure AI is used safely and responsibly.

Musk has invested in AI companies and uses AI in his Tesla cars. He has (6)______ before about how AI could be bad for society and humans. He thinks it’s important to think about the (7)______ issues with robots that look like humans. Sunak (8)______ to encourage investment in the UK’s tech industry and understands that people are worried about losing their jobs because of AI. They had their chat at an AI summit in (9)______.

Musk also talked about the good things AI can do, like being a friend for people who have trouble making (10)______ and being a (11)______ teacher for young people. But he also warned that AI could take away all jobs, which raises questions about (12)______ meaning in life when traditional jobs aren’t needed anymore.

The chat between Musk and Sunak didn’t lead to any new announcements about how AI will be used and controlled in the UK. Sunak did mention that AI could make the government’s website better. Even though some (13)______ were (14)______ about the event, Musk and Sunak (15)______ comfortable (16)______ to each other. Sunak praised Musk as a smart innovator and technologist. Both of them want to have a say in how AI develops in the future.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think about robots that look like humans? Would you like to have one around?
2. How would you feel if a robot could chase after you?
3. Do you believe AI could really make it so people don’t need to work anymore? Why or why not?
4. If you didn’t have to work for money, what would you do with your time?
5. What kind of rules do you think we need to make sure AI is safe?
6. Do you like the idea of AI being like a friend to people who are lonely? Why or why not?
7. How important do you think it is to have human teachers instead of robots?
8. Can you imagine a world where AI does all the jobs? What would that look like?
9. Do you think AI taking over jobs is a good thing or a bad thing? Explain your answer.
10. What is something you would trust AI to do for you?
11. How do you think the government should use AI to improve their services?
12. If you had the chance, what question would you ask Elon Musk about AI?
13. Do you think it’s important for big tech leaders and politicians to talk about AI? Why or why not?
14. What is one job you think could never be done by AI? Why do you think so?
15. Do you think schools should teach students how to work with AI? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. artificial intelligence (AI)
2. jobs
3. robots
4. center
5. industry
6. safety
7. investment
8. summit

Meanings:
(a) Putting money into something to make it grow
(b) Computer systems that can think and learn
(c) A meeting or conference about a specific topic
(d) Protection from danger or harm
(e) A place where something important happens
(f) Machines that can do tasks automatically
(g) A specific area of business or activity
(h) Work that people do to earn money
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who did Elon Musk recently have a chat with about artificial intelligence?
(a) President Joe Biden
(b) CEO Mark Zuckerberg
(c) Actress Emma Watson
(d) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

2. What does Elon Musk think AI will eventually make unnecessary?
(a) Money
(b) Education
(c) Jobs
(d) Food

3. What did Elon Musk talk about regarding robots?
(a) How robots can be used for entertainment purposes
(b) How robots can be programmed to do household chores
(c) How robots can be used to fight crime
(d) His worries about robots that look like humans and can chase after people

4. Where is London a big center for the AI industry?
(a) United Kingdom
(b) United States
(c) Germany
(d) China

5. What does Elon Musk use AI for in his Tesla cars?
(a) To make the cars look more futuristic
(b) To replace human drivers completely
(c) Various functions and features in the cars
(d) To make the cars fly

6. What does Elon Musk think is important to consider with robots that look like humans?
(a) Safety issues
(b) Fashion trends
(c) Entertainment value
(d) Cost-effectiveness

7. What did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak want to encourage in the UK?
(a) Investment in the fashion industry
(b) Investment in the tech industry
(c) Investment in the food industry
(d) Investment in the tourism industry

8. Did the chat between Musk and Sunak lead to any new announcements about AI in the UK?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not mentioned in the article
(d) It’s unclear

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Elon Musk recently had no conversation with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about artificial intelligence (AI).
2. Musk expressed concerns about robots that look like humans and can chase after people during the chat.
3. Musk has never spoken about the potential positive impact of AI on society and humans.
4. Neither Musk nor Sunak agree that rules and supervision are necessary to ensure the safe and responsible use of AI.
5. London is considered a major hub for the AI industry, which was discussed by Musk and Sunak.
6. Musk has invested in AI companies and incorporates AI technology into his Tesla cars.
7. Musk believes that AI will never make jobs unnecessary, meaning people will always have to work for money.
8. Musk believes it is important to address safety issues related to robots that resemble humans.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What concerns did Elon Musk share with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak regarding artificial intelligence?
2. Why do Musk and Sunak believe it’s necessary to have rules and supervision for AI?
3. How does Elon Musk’s involvement with AI extend to his business ventures?
4. What potential positive impacts of AI did Musk mention during his conversation with Sunak?
5. Did Musk and Sunak come to any decisions about AI regulation during their chat? What was Sunak’s view on using AI for government services?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What does Elon Musk believe AI will eventually make unnecessary, according to the article?
Elon Musk believes AI will eventually make jobs unnecessary, so people won’t need to work for money.

2. What concerns did Musk express about robots that resemble humans?
Musk expressed concerns about robots that look like humans and can chase after people.

3. What is the significance of London in relation to the AI industry?
London is a significant center for the AI industry.

4. What did Musk and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agree on regarding the use of AI?
Musk and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed that there needs to be rules and supervision to ensure AI is used safely and responsibly.

5. How has Elon Musk been involved with AI in his business ventures?
Elon Musk has invested in AI companies and uses AI in his Tesla cars.

6. What are some positive applications of AI that Musk mentioned during the chat?
Musk mentioned AI could act as a companion for people who have trouble making friends and as a patient teacher for young people.

7. What potential issue did Musk raise about the future of jobs and finding meaning in life?
Musk raised the potential issue that AI could take away all jobs, which brings up questions about how to find meaning in life when traditional jobs aren’t needed anymore.

8. What was the outcome of the conversation between Musk and Sunak in terms of AI regulation?
The conversation between Musk and Sunak did not lead to any new announcements about how AI will be used and controlled in the UK.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Sunak
(2) artificial
(3) unnecessary
(4) change
(5) learn
(6) talked
(7) safety
(8) wants
(9) London
(10) friends
(11) patient
(12) finding
(13) people
(14) upset
(15) seemed
(16) talking
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. artificial intelligence (AI)
Answer: (b) Computer systems that can think and learn

2. jobs
Answer: (h) Work that people do to earn money

3. robots
Answer: (f) Machines that can do tasks automatically

4. center
Answer: (e) A place where something important happens

5. industry
Answer: (g) A specific area of business or activity

6. safety
Answer: (d) Protection from danger or harm

7. investment
Answer: (a) Putting money into something to make it grow

8. summit
Answer: (c) A meeting or conference about a specific topic
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who did Elon Musk recently have a chat with about artificial intelligence?
Answer: (d) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

2. What does Elon Musk think AI will eventually make unnecessary?
Answer: (c) Jobs

3. What did Elon Musk talk about regarding robots?
Answer: (d) His worries about robots that look like humans and can chase after people

4. Where is London a big center for the AI industry?
Answer: (a) United Kingdom

5. What does Elon Musk use AI for in his Tesla cars?
Answer: (c) Various functions and features in the cars

6. What does Elon Musk think is important to consider with robots that look like humans?
Answer: (a) Safety issues

7. What did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak want to encourage in the UK?
Answer: (b) Investment in the tech industry

8. Did the chat between Musk and Sunak lead to any new announcements about AI in the UK?
Answer: (b) No
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Elon Musk recently had no conversation with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about artificial intelligence (AI). (Answer: False)
2. Musk expressed concerns about robots that look like humans and can chase after people during the chat. (Answer: True)
3. Musk has never spoken about the potential positive impact of AI on society and humans. (Answer: False)
4. Neither Musk nor Sunak agree that rules and supervision are necessary to ensure the safe and responsible use of AI. (Answer: False)
5. London is considered a major hub for the AI industry, which was discussed by Musk and Sunak. (Answer: True)
6. Musk has invested in AI companies and incorporates AI technology into his Tesla cars. (Answer: True)
7. Musk believes that AI will never make jobs unnecessary, meaning people will always have to work for money. (Answer: False)
8. Musk believes it is important to address safety issues related to robots that resemble humans. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧